Dec. 31--TV: 11 a.m. Friday; ESPN2, WGN-AM 720.
Line: Tennessee by 8.5.
Records: Northwestern 10-2; Tennessee 8-4.
Last meeting: Tennessee won 48-28 in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 1997, in Orlando, Fla.
On the offensive: Both teams feature strong young running backs. Volunteers sophomore Jalen Hurd has rushed for 1,158 yards on 253 carries with 11 touchdowns. Alvin Kamara and dual-threat QB Joshua Dobbs add to the rushing attack. Northwestern sophomore Justin Jackson rushed 298 times for 1,344 yards and four touchdowns. The Vols have scored more than 50 points four times.
Getting defensive: Since giving up 294 rushing yards to Iowa in mid-October, Northwestern has kept running backs in check and ranks 13th nationally, allowing only 117.8 rushing yards per game. Matt Harris leads a solid secondary, but the Wildcats will miss injured CB Nick VanHoose. The Vols held Alabama to 19 points in a loss.
The number: 11. Program-record victories the Wildcats can achieve with a win.
The talk: Coach Pat Fitzgerald will have his team motivated after what he sees as a snub by the playoff committee that kept the Wildcats out of one of the six major bowls.
Shannon Ryan's pick: The Wildcats have had success in close games, but the Vols will slow their running game and put too much pressure on QB Clayton Thorson.
Tennessee 27, Northwestern 20.
